The post-Matt Millen era officially kicked off with the Lions’ first practice without the fired president and chief executive officer.
Players returned to the Lions’ Allen Park training facility after a five-day break during their bye week. The Lions practiced on the outdoor field, and everything seemed oddly normal. Head coach Rod Marinelli warmly greeted Millen’s replacements, general manager Martin Mayhew and executive vice president and chief operating officer Tom Lewand.
The players and Marinelli made their first public comments about Millen’s firing, but most tried to avoid the issue and said their focus was on the Bears, Sunday's opponent.
“I’m not on that,”
receiver Roy Williams said. “Y’all going to ask me about that, I’m not talking about that, OK?”
Williams, normally effusive about most topics, was asked why he was keeping mum.
“What’s the point?”
he said. “I’m not talking about Matt Millen today or any other day.”
Marinelli challenged one reporter who asked the coach about combating the perception being a lame duck.
“You have to define that,”
Marinelli said. “People use clichés, like you tell coaches they use clichés, and now you’re using one. Explain that to me, what it means.”
The reporter explained how Millen’s replacement likely would want to oust Marinelli and hire his own head coach.
“I won’t combat anything,”
Marinelli said. “I had a chance to talk to Mr. (William Clay) Ford, and everything is zeroed in on the Chicago Bears, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Asked whether he was surprised that Millen was fired three games into the season, Marinelli searched for the right words.
“I … I just … it is what it is,”
he said finally. “It happened, and you just move forward with it.”
Left tackle Jeff Backus, like most players, said he liked Millen but understood the harsh realities associated with the win-or-else NFL.
“Over eight years, I’ve become pretty good friends with him,”
Backus said.“He’s a fun guy to be around. But that’s what this business is about: If you’re not winning, if you don’t win, you’re going to be held accountable, and the Fords decided to make some changes. We roll with it, and we see what we can do with the next 13 games.”
Right guard Stephen Peterman arrived early Monday to receive treatment on his broken left hand -- and he saw Millen at the facility. Peterman, whose status for Sunday is unclear, said he greeted Millen but didn't expand on what Millen was doing in Allen Park.
“You wish the best for him,”
Peterman said. “We’ve just got to win some games around here. I remember Coach (Bill) Parcells told us one time in Dallas, 'If we lose, none of us are going to get to stay here. If we win, people will get to stay around and get new contracts and stay longer. So it sucks to see him go.”
Injury update: Quarterback Jon Kitna took snaps during the practice and showed no signs of having sprained his right knee against San Francisco two weekends ago.
